MERRY CHRISTMAS
On behalf of the Executive Committee, Merry Christmas and a peaceful 2005 to all readers of this newsletter.

EVENTS IN DECEMBER 2004
The Water Directorate is a voluntary association of councils and county councils that operate water and/or sewer businesses in regional NSW. Our monthly newsletter seeks to inform member councils and all sectors of the NSW Local Government Water Industry of the developments that have taken place regarding technical issues and networking during December 2004 and of coming events. This newsletter is sent to General Managers and to Water and Sewer Managers in 104 regional councils in NSW and also to approximately 110 contacts in government departments, councils and private industry across Australia. We hope you enjoy this newsletter.

AUSTRALIAN DRINKING WATER GUIDELINES
In early December the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) advised after a very long and drawn out process, the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council has agreed to the release of the NHMRC Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. The guidelines, incorporating the Framework for the Management of Drinking Water Quality, is now available on www.nhmrc.gov.au A consumer guide and a review on microbial indicators will be installed in mid December.

NSW HEALTH WATER TESTING ARRANGEMENTS DURING CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR
NSW Health advises regional water authorities that from Monday, 27 December 2004 to Tuesday, 4 January 2005 the Dept of Analytical Laboratories (DAL) water testing labs will operate with only a skeleton staff. Over this period the labs will not have the capacity to process routine rostered samples and project samples. Please ensure all routine samples are submitted to arrive at DAL no later than 23 December to ensure they can be tested. Staff will be available to test emergency samples if required by contacting your Public Health Unit.

2005 NSW HEALTH DRINKING WATER MONITORING PROGRAM SAMPLING LABELS
The sampling labels for the recommended minimum number of monitoring samples to be collected under the NSW Health Drinking Water Monitoring Program (DWMP) for 2005 should arrive in mid December. Do not use these labels until 1 January 2005 but continue to use 2004 labels until the New Year. Water utilities are asked to collect samples in accordance with the NSW Health DWMP booklet available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/ehb/water/drinkwater_nsw.html Please contact your local PHU for more information.

STATE WATER’S SUBMISSION TO IPART BULK WATER PRICING (2005/06) ISSUES PAPER
State Water has recently presented its submission to IPART on Bulk Water Prices for 05/06. Affected councils are encouraged to examine the IPART issues paper and the State Water submission and make representation to this price path review. IPART is currently conducting a review of prices for services relating to the provision of bulk water for the extraction by town water suppliers and others from water sources managed by State Water and the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation. The objective of this review of bulk water prices is to determine the maximum charges for these services to apply from 1 July 2005. This shall cover the making available and supplying of bulk water to users from regulated, unregulated and ground water sources. The proposed prices are to cover the costs incurred by State Water and DIPNR in making available and supply this water to extractive users. State Water’s recent submission examines the changing of high security entitlements to better reflect the value of high security water over general security. This will result in some significant increases in high security charges. Both IPART’s Issues Paper and State Water Pricing submission are available on www.ipart.nsw.gov.au Submissions are invited up to 17 December 2004, however, LGSA advise there may be an extension of time. Councils are advised to check the due by date with IPART. Public hearings are currently being planned for March 2005. It would be appreciated if copies of submissions could also be forwarded to the Water Policy Officer at the LGSA, at Stephanie.Smith@lgsa.org.au

ABS DATA RELEASED
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released online its Electricity, Gas, Water and Sewerage Operations, Australia, 2001-02 and 2002-03 (25 November 2004). This publication presents "the first release of estimates for the electricity supply, gas supply, and water supply, sewerage and drainage services industries from the Economic Activity Survey compiled using new statistical infrastructure".

These estimates have been compiled on this new basis for 01/02 and 02/03. Source: ABS courtesy Lawlex Newsfeed 8/12/04.

NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The election process is now complete for the Executive Committee for 2005 and 2006. GMs were required to vote in only two out of nine IPWEA Groups of councils. Following the process, one representative has left the Executive Committee and two have joined. Welcome to David Tull, Director Infrastructure Projects, Griffith City Council and to Wayne Franklin, Operational Services Manager, Rous County Council.

Many thanks and congratulations to the previous Executive Committee which met 7 times in 2004 and successfully achieved the publication of six water management documents including the update of the AUS-SPEC Water and Sewer Specifications for IPWEA National Office. Welcome back to all the returning successful nominees, ten of whom have diligently volunteered for a fourth, two year term. Farewell to the outgoing representative Jim Fear and to retiring representatives Craig Moffitt and Peter Mowle and thanks to all for their contributions to the local government water industry.

Please note that one vacancy exists in the New England Group of councils and another in the South Eastern Group of councils. I would be happy to discuss the role and responsibilities of the Executive Committee with appropriate interested persons. The new committee reflects various regional interests of large, small, coastal and inland local government water authorities across NSW – see table below. The new Executive Committee meets for the first time on 4 February 2005 and the first duty will be to elect a Chair for the next two years.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2005 & 2006

The meeting on 4 February 2005 will be a Project Planning Meeting and member councils are invited to submit project suggestions to be considered for inclusion in a three year program. Member councils are reminded that they are welcome to forward water issues to me for referral to the Executive Committee meetings. For further information about membership or any water related issue, please contact me on 8267 3010, gmitchell@waterdirectorate.asn.au or www.waterdirectorate.asn.au

Finally thanks to member councils for assistance in 2004 by providing baseline data input into 2 documents, ie the Tender Documentation Manual for Maintenance of Mech/Elec Infrastructure, and the Water and Sewer Meter Reading Guidelines. The members’ discussion forum has proved to be very popular in 2004 and many thanks to the member councils that have shared information around NSW and helped others that have taken advantage of this service. Thanks to Eloise Stanley for her invaluable assistance in 2004.

Gary Mitchell
Executive Officer

For more information contact: